When it doubt, assume the Cdn govt doesn't know what it's doing, not that the Cdn government is supremely cunning.

Ahem.

Anyone have a Government of Canada source for this?

Apparently the Federal Court of Appeal decision on the invocation of the Emergencies Act in response to the 'Freedom Convoy' will come down on Friday. Here was my reaction to the Federal Court decision: emmettmacfarlane.substack.com/p/a-dubious-...

ICYMI: My thoughts on where next for gender equality ldhconsulting.org/2026/01/02/w... GE doesn't sit outside political context. As global norms GE relies on break down, and hostile states do end runs around global frameworks via bilateral deals, gender advocacy needs to intensify at country level

Some thoughts from me in Bloomberg.

While interviewing @plagasse.bsky.social with @decloet.bsky.social, he mentioned the concept of "defense against help." That's to avoid the hypothetical situation where if the US saw Canada as unable to deal with a problem on its soil, "it may not choose to leave. Or it may choose to make demands"

Soupires in French-Canadian

Deep down America's allies know that only Americans can put a stop to the madness. The fact that they can't or won't is why the damage to our partnerships will last far beyond this President.

For those Canadians cheering on Trump's military action in Venezuela, it might be worth recalling that you live in a country that Trump wishes to bend to his will through "economic force" and in a region that Trump says the US must "dominate."

For the Sunday readers, my look ahead at the year in Canadian defence: open.substack.com/pub/philippe...

New post to clear up confusion: The search for a new Canadian Governor General *should* be underway. What should we be looking for? A bilingual candidate who understands that being a viceregal representative is the last major public role one should perform.

New at Debating Canadian Defence: open.substack.com/pub/philippe...

New at Debating Canadian Defence: open.substack.com/pub/philippe...

Canada's Minister of National Defence on the Canada-United States defence relationship. Time to retire elbow references. www.ipolitics.ca/2025/12/30/c...

working at a university

Re-reading Mikisew after Power is a trip. Privilege was teetering. Remove Brown and poof.

Never Enough by Turnstile is the album of the year.

Will AI breath new life into qualitative social science and the humanities? I suspect so. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/22/o...

For the Sunday readers, my take on the Deputy Minister / Chief of the Defence Staff diarchy at National Defence Headquarters, and what challenges await the new DM.

Pleased to have a new chapter out with @patrickfbaud.bsky.social on the Crown prerogative in Canada. The volume examines executive power and prerogative across Westminster states.

Delighted to have chapter with @plagasse.bsky.social on the Crown prerogative as source of executive power in Canada out in new collection on executive power and prerogative: store.lexisnexis.com/en-au/produc...

New at Debating Canadian Defence: open.substack.com/pub/philippe...

New at Debating Canadian Defence: open.substack.com/pub/philippe...

🤔

Securing a majority via floor crossing? Carney focuses on the constitutional questions: the confidence of the Commons. Poilievre focuses on a normative question: legitimacy and fair play. A good example of why we shouldn't treat constitutional conventions as moral rules.

Stratas JA should be the patron saint of all those who battle arbitrary bureaucratic power.

Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.

Canadians getting ready to spend $300 billion plus on military capabilities: 👍 Canadians seeing a plan to spend $200 billion linking its largest population centres with high speed rail: 👎

If you can replace the Challenger fleet without much fanfare or controversy, why not repair 24 Sussex, too? Both are needed. Both are justified. Both should be routine business.

The disallowance discourse is fascinating. We left the British government's disallowance power in the CA1867. Can the British government still disallow the laws of the Canadian Parliament? I'm not advocating either position.

My partner in crime (fighting) Patrick Lennox has a new Substack. In his first post, he weaves together the challenges Canada faces from foreign interference, Alberta separatism, and the new US National Security Strategy. Give it a read and give Pat a follow! open.substack.com/pub/plennox/...

The first projects to be managed by the Defence Investment Agency have been revealed. A notable one is airborne early warning and control (AEW&C). AEW&C will be an interesting case study for the government's 'buy Canadian' policy: nationalnewswatch.com/2025/12/05/f...

The Western Hemisphere is the United States top regional priority under the new National Security Strategy. Canada has long avoided being a top national security concern for the United States, and rightly so. It's generally bad news to be at the top of that list.

Talking feminist foreign policy, and how to advance gender equality in a very difficult information ecosystem Thanks to the class for their excellent questions!

Thanks to @ldobsonhughes.bsky.social for closing out our policy class at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs with an inspiring presentation on advocacy and change in a perilous world.

"Canada has reached a final agreement to join the EU’s €150 billion Security Action for Europe program, two EU diplomats told POLITICO, marking the first time a third country will formally participate in the bloc’s flagship joint procurement initiative." www.politico.eu/article/cana...

New at Debating Canadian Defence: open.substack.com/pub/philippe...

A fantastic summary of the @plagasse.bsky.social/Dave/Steve book on legislative oversight over the armed forces of 15 democracies. Canada too lax on civilian oversight of the military: Study share.google/3jb5n56pGlME...

New at Debating Canadian Defence: open.substack.com/pub/philippe...

🚨🎙️We've got a new Secure Line podcast out now! Have a listen to @stephaniecarvin.bsky.social, @leahwest-nsl.bsky.social, and @plagasse.bsky.social talk about how (and if) Canada can actually spend the defence budget, and what that means for Canadian defence and our relationship with allies.

Which civilians play the most important roles in controlling the armed forces? Tomorrow, join @plagasse.bsky.social, Dominic Grieve and @profveronika.bsky.social to discuss Philippe Lagassé's new book, Overseen or Overlooked? Legislators, Armed Forces, and Democratic Accountability. Sign up 👇

In a world of rising instability, with ministers and military leaders warning of growing conflict risks, parliamentary oversight of the armed forces is more vital than ever. This event with international expert @plagasse.bsky.social will be interesting. Sign up 👇

I'll be appearing before the Senate National Security, Defence, and Veterans Affairs (SECD) at 17:10 today, alongside RMC Principal Jill Scott, to discuss defence procurement in Canada.

Reminder: I'll be speaking about our book on legislatures and armed forces at UCL with Dominic Grieve and Veronika Fifak on 27 Nov at 18:15.

Which civilians play the most important roles in controlling the armed forces? This Thursday, join @plagasse.bsky.social, Dominic Grieve and @profveronika.bsky.social to discuss Philippe Lagassé's new book, Overseen or Overlooked? Legislators, Armed Forces, and Democratic Accountability. Sign up 👇

Le gouvernement Carney envisage-t-il un vrai partenariat avec la Suède ou Ottawa cherche-t-il plutôt à mettre de la pression sur les États-Unis? L'industrie canadienne et nos alliés attendent une réponse à cette question. Mes réflexions à ce sujet dans Le Devoir: www.ledevoir.com/politique/ca...?

Well, yes.